The Kingdom Of Torchwood
by The Pacific Elementals
Summary: Prince Jack was always doing the saving, just once he'd like someone to save him. He didn't think he'd ever get the chance when his mother commanded him to lead a new specialised team.One day he got his wish. Jack/Ianto AU


**A/N: **We posted this story a couple months back but after some good advice from a couple of good friends we decided to change it a bit. Because it is a fantasy we've made it more fantasy-like where before there were some bits that didn't exactly go with a typical fantasy. So we deleted the old version and have put this up. The next chapter will be up in due course, we sadly so have real lives to live (that's why it took us so long to revise this). Please review.

The Pacific Elementals

(have a look at our profile if you want to know more about us)

* * *

"The Prince and the Knight"

Jack, the handsome prince of the Kingdom of Torchwood had saved many damsels and princesses over the years but none of them had managed to win his heart. When he wasn't saving people he was causing trouble because he was so bored. Lately, you see there had been sort of a dry spell in kidnapped princesses that needed saving and monsters that needed slaying. One boring day just as he was about to go out on the town, something happened that would change his life forever and for the better.

His mother, the Queen approached him "Jack, child wait. I have a task for you."

Jack sighed "Did a princess finally get kidnapped again? Where's she from this time? Mercia? Camelot? Bavaria? We haven't had Caernarfon in awhile."

"Jack, this is serious business now listen."

"Yes, Mother."

"New dangers are threatening our kingdom; there is talk of horrifying creatures living in the sewers, travellers disappearing in the hills, strange lights in the sky and Camelot reports of a mysterious man who always manages to save the day."

Jack rolled his eyes, he'd heard these stories before "Mother, you've never put much stock in the fancies of peasants before especially in other kingdoms and especially in Camelot." The kingdom of Camelot had really gone down in reputation since its king had been betrayed by both friend and wife. Since then the famed Knights of the Round Table had become rather over zealous in their duties and Arthur was a miserable tyrant. "Are you saying the people of Torchwood have started to report these things as well?"

"Yes," the Queen nodded "that is precisely what I am saying."

"Why am I just hearing of this now?"

"I did not wish to concern you till I was sure myself. I have met this mysterious man in the Highlands most recently. He is called Sir Doctor."

Jack blinked "What that's it? Sir Doctor? What kind of name is that? Sir Doctor of where?"

"That is what I want to know."

"What would you have me do, Mother?"

"The Knights of the Round Table investigate these happenings in Camelot. I command you to create a special team to investigate these strange things and put a stop to them in Torchwood. Your team will be far superior to Camelot. I shall put out a decree calling all intelligent and able bodied young men and women to come to the castle. From them you shall choose only the best, you will start with a small team of four or five."

"You want me to do what?"

…

From those that came to the castle Jack could not choose a single person, none were smart or seemed brave enough to accomplish what his mother had in mind. So, he'd start these investigations himself and look through the people and see if he couldn't find a few hidden gems. He first discovered that a Chaos Cascade had appeared in the kingdom which explained a lot.

It wasn't long before he came across the intelligent and very beautiful, Lady Toshiko of Japan. She had come to the island to rescue her mother and was forced to steal plans and build some sort of weapon. She was arrested in Camelot and accused of being a spy. When Jack heard of this and had interviewed the girl, he knew she was perfect for his team. He used his influence, freed her and brought her back to Torchwood. Toshiko was a sorceress and mathematician but Jack knew he needed a physician, not only to patch up any injuries the team might acquire but also to dissect any creatures they happened to kill.

Jack soon heard of a young woman in Camelot who was dying of some creature in her head. In order to keep the public ignorant of the truth he forged papers and made use of his new memory potion, thus confusing her fiancé Owen Harper. When Owen saw the creature Jack knocked him out but didn't give him the potion. He wanted to test the young healer's skills.

Owen knew what had happened but nobody else did and he wasn't having any of it. He searched for Jack and refused to give up. Finally, Jack convinced him to come to Torchwood.

Jack felt that the three of them were enough for now, at least until he came across someone that peaked his interest. One night when he was on solo patrol he found one of those sewer creatures, Camelot had taken to calling 'weevils' because they were rather like pests. He was fighting it and losing, this one was particularly strong. He was on the ground and the thing was on top of him, about to bite him when suddenly a shadow loomed over them. There was a thud and the weevil got off him and went for the shadow which turned out to be a knight in armour. The weevil had the knight pinned against the tree and Jack came to his senses. He dove at the weevil, pinned it to the ground and got it with his weevil dust. He put a bag over its head and stood.

The knight lowered his spear "Thank-you" he said. He lifted his visor revealing a very handsome face.

"No thank-_you_," Jack told him honestly, about bloody time _he_ was rescued by a knight in shining armour "You saved my life and you are?"

The knight saluted him "Sir Ianto of Cardiff."

Jack took his hand and shook it, ignoring the sparks he felt "Nice to meet you Sir Ianto of Cardiff. Prince Jack of Torchwood and you don't have to salute me. I can't stand formality."

"I will do my best, your Highness. It is a pleasure to meet you. Are you hurt at all?"

"No, I'm all right. You got that thing off me in time."

"Lucky escape."

"I had it under control," Jack got on the defensive.

"You think so? Looked pretty vicious." Sir Ianto removed a glove and reached for Jack's shoulder "you're shoulder seems off kilter."

Jack stepped back, unsure if he wanted to feel those sparks again "I'll have my doctor look at it. I've had worse from jumping on my bed."

"Of course Highness; my apologies."

"Don't call me that."

Sir Ianto nodded "Looked like a weevil to me."

How did he know that? Did they have weevils in Cardiff too? Time to test him, "I have no idea what you're talking about. I'll take him from here," Jack picked up the weevil "thanks for the assistance."

"Anytime, by the way, love the cloak," was that tone flirting?

…...

The next morning...

Jack left his headquarters to find that knight standing outside holding a cup of something steaming. Jack had asked the court seer to look him up, Ianto wasn't a knight of Cardiff.

"Morning!" Ianto said cheerily "coffee?"

It certainly smelled like coffee and Jack wasn't one to refuse the national drink. He took the cup and gingerly took a sip. It was unbelievable, "wow" he handed the cup back "what are you doing here?"

"My apologies Highness, did Her Majesty not inform you?"

Jack blinked "Inform me of what?"

"She would like you to consider me for your team."

Jack sighed, damn it, his mother promised she wouldn't interfere "Sorry, no vacancies."

"Look let me tell you about myself."

"Ianto Jones, Knight of Camelot not Cardiff, don't lie to me again. You were knighted for bravery and fashion sense for some reason. Camelot is very strange. You are a Knight of the Round Table or were until they were decimated by Arthur's idiotic actions in regards to those stone demons." He started to walk away.

Ianto followed "Look you researched me."

"You knew what a weevil was. Thought I was gonna have to come deal with you."

"But instead you could see I had the right qualifications for the job. I know what you're dealing with."

"There is no job. We're nothing to do with Camelot. I don't like their policies. We do things differently in Torchwood."

"Yet after the battle when Camelot was reeling, two members of your team scavenged the ruins of the Round Table headquarters," he ran in front of Jack and put a hand on his chest, thus stopping him.

Jack looked at him with his 'why are you touching me? I'm royalty, hello' glare and removed his hand, wishing Ianto wasn't so good looking. He was sure they could use Ianto but he wanted to protest his mother's interference and he didn't trust anyone from Camelot "I do not want the artefacts getting into the wrong hands."

"And you're the right hands are you? Trial period, three months."

"No."

"Three weeks, three days? Let me prove myself to you. I'll work for nothing."

Jack thought of all sorts of ways Ianto could prove himself and none of them involved clothing. He shook the thoughts away "No and stop asking," he walked away.

Ianto ran in front of him again "I saw what they did at Camelot. What am I supposed to do with those memories?"

Jack did feel badly for the out of work knight but... "You are not my responsibility and we're not hiring."

Ianto called after him "Same time tomorrow then?"

"There is no work for you here and there never will be."

"I really like that cloak!"

A little while later...

Jack was riding his horse Boeshane down a quiet road on patrol that night when Ianto darted into the road in front of him. He pulled on the reigns causing Boeshane to rear up "Whoa." When Boeshane settled down Jack jumped off and started in on Ianto right away "I've had enough of this. It has to stop."

Ianto wasn't wearing his armour this time. He was wearing a red dress tunic and black breeches "No Sire, listen to me..."

Jack waggled his finger at him "I don't have time for this. Look, I don't care what your problem is or that my mother likes you. I don't trust you. I want you out of this kingdom by sunrise. Go back to Camelot, find yourself another life. Keep stalking me and I'll wipe your memory!"

"No but the thing is..."

This man was driving Jack crazy, no one was supposed to be more persistent than him, "Look any conversation between us, no matter the subject is over, finished, done forever. I'm getting back on that horse; if you're still standing in the road, I'm going to let him trample you." He turned around.

"So you're not gonna help me catch this dragon then?"

Jack stopped, dragon? He always wanted a pet dragon.

…

Ianto led Jack to an abandoned building on the edge of town. Jack brought out a bag of industrial strength sleeping powder from his saddlebag. Ianto arched his eyebrows, "Okay that is the only special equipment you've got?"

"Yes, I've never really found the need to carry dragon nets everywhere."

"Knights of the Round Table would have. I was never assigned one though."

Jack rolled his eyes and they went over to the door. They could hear the dragon screeching behind it, at least it sounded like a young one. "How big is this thing?"

"Not very, I think it's a toddler."

Jack opened the door and they went inside but quickly went out again when the dragon came at them. They both leaned on the door, "How did you find it?" Jack asked.

"Scrying crystal."

"Knights of the Round Table."

"See, quality kit."

Jack took a breath and inclined his head at the dragon's screeching, "It's quite excitable."

"Must be your aftershave."

Ooo, did Ianto think Jack smelled good? "Never wear any."

"You smell like that naturally?"

"I'm royalty."

"Ah."

"Ready for another go?" Jack put his hand on the door handle.

"I am if you are."

"Three, two, one," Jack opened the door and they ran inside. "Split up!" They went in opposite directions and met again in the middle once the dragon had landed. Jack took a tentative step forward "Aren't you a beauty? You can't stay here. Come back with me, I've got somewhere that's nice and big where you can fly around."

Ianto came closer "So you'll let the dragon in and not me?"

"We need a guard dog."

"I could be that. Like a scribe, cook, washing even; that cloak of yours must take a battering. Like a butler! I could be a butler."

"We don't need a butler," Jack nearly growled.

"Excuse me sire," Ianto touched him again "dried egg on your collar."

"It was a busy week."

Ianto grabbed Jack's arm and pulled him back "What exactly is your plan, your Highness?"

Jack pulled his arm free "I'll be the decoy."

"And it will rip you to shreds."

"Dragons? Ha, I'm a handsome prince, dragons never win. Here," he handed the bag to Ianto "throw it, one impact near the nose, I'll keep it occupied. Move."

"No," Ianto handed the bag back.

"What?"

"It knows me. I'd be a better decoy."

But Ianto was too cute to be ripped to shreds "way too dangerous."

"No, I've got a secret weapon," he reached into his belt pouch and pulled out a brick of chocolate, "chocolate, preferably dark."

Jack had to concede, dragons did love chocolate. While Ianto distracted it, Jack snuck up behind it. But it turned around and Jack dove at it. He ended up grabbing on to it's feet as it flew into the air. He just managed to whack it with the bag before falling. Ianto caught him and they tumbled to the floor. The knight rolled them out of the way of the falling dragon and Ianto ended up on top, they were laughing. The situation was pretty funny. When they caught each other's eyes the laughter ceased and for a moment Jack thought they might kiss.

"I should go," Ianto whispered and stood up. He started to walk away.

Jack took a breath and got to his feet, "Hey," he called after him "report for work first thing tomorrow. Like the tunic by the way." Then Jack had a thought "actually report for work right now and help me carry this thing."


End file.
